


Counting Days

by LunaUlric



Category: Final Fantasy XV, Kingsglaive
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, FFXV, Whump, lunyx, might be adding chapters, otp, the rating might bump to M for gore for possible future chapters, there's gore but not too detailed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 09:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15046391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaUlric/pseuds/LunaUlric
Summary: After a virus outbreak, walking corpses now roam around the world, devouring every living thing they catch. Nyx Ulric is one of the last survivors from Galahd. He happens to cross paths with Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, a survivor from the city of Tenebrae. Together, they set on a journey of survival.(Zombie AU)





	Counting Days

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to break my writer’s block with this. I think it’s working. As mentioned by my previous post, this is one of me and [fabulanova-ffxv](http://fabulanova-ffxv.tumblr.com/)‘s AUs that were brought up in our chats. And if ever I’ll be adding chapters, it’ll be non-linear i.e. Chapter 2 can be day 21 of their journey before the events in this one shot, Chapter 3 can be day 95 which is after. For now it’s just this oneshot. I got a little indulgent with whump so here lol. Their journey will be explained more in a different chapter, if I ever get to write another one (otherwise I’ll just plainly tell anyone who asks lol) Special thanks to [loveiscosmicsin](https://loveiscosmicsin.tumblr.com/) for pointing out what I needed to fix while I was writing.

Fingers pressed on his neck. The pulse, however weak, told of what she wished for. As well as his shallow breaths in unsound sleep.   **  
**

Luna wished there was anymore indication of Nyx’s state. The Galahdian man laid there on the floor, his body displaying signs of an internal struggle. Unfortunately, there was no way to gauge if he was on his way to victory or defeat. Eyes closed and brows creased, the pain and the ebbing energy was painted on the face that was half under shadows and half exposed by the flickering candlelight.

Half dead and half alive, as he seemed.

It was day fifty seven since their journey together began in the dead world. Yes, she kept count. She and him survived again to spend another quiet night in safety and, hopefully to wake up to another dawn at the chance at life. As always. For now, they hid from the reanimated corpses that sought blood and flesh. Sheltered behind barricaded doors and sealed windows, in a small four cornered space which stored dusty file cabinets and the smashed computer screens - all remnants of the old world.

Luna dabbed Nyx’s forehead with the edge of her long sleeve. Sweating meant fever. And fever meant infection. She eyed the stump of where his left arm used to be and was relieved to see that no blood has seeped through the bandages. A small victory in this ordeal, at least. Nevertheless, the blonde unrolled a blanket from the pack and covered him with it up to his neck. But it seemed that no relief was granted for him. Drops of sweat continued to glisten. His breaths hastened.

Luna did everything he asked before night fell.

She heated his trustee knife into the fire until it glowed, before giving him a piece of twisted cloth to bite into. When he nodded and, she turned away. There was silence. She didn’t see him raise the ax nor the how he looked before he brought it down on his arm. She heard the hack of the ax and then the scream that came immediately after. It was was muffled by the cloth in his mouth so that walking corpses wouldn’t discover them, but it still was harrowing enough that she almost covered her ears.

In a flash the arm with the bite wound parted with him. His agony didn’t end afterwards because, as soon as the limb was detached, she pressed the hot blade into the stump until blood stopped flowing out of it. He buckled under her hold. His remaining hand clutched on her arm, almost bruising it.

It had been three hours since then.

Luna held his hand as it trembled from the cold. She continued to examine his ashened face.

“I hope it was enough.” she told him, not knowing if he was capable of hearing her at this point. The plan to chop off the arm was an unsure one but it was worth the try.

The blonde was about to begin another silent prayer when her sights caught the shining metal beside the candle.

The gun, a .32 caliber revolver, was Nyx’s gift to her. Well, not really a gift. He just gave it to her saying it was better than the bat she was carrying in case things get nasty.

Aim small, he had said. Aim right between the eyes.

“No.” she whispered, shaking her head as if the last of his request would flutter away from her mind.

It was everyone’s unspoken pact. If I die, shoot me in the head. If I got bitten, shoot me in the head. If there’s no escape for me, shoot me in the head…  _Shoot me in the head._  Better now than later. Pointing the gun to the head and pulling the trigger would be the kindest of mercies. It saves the person from joining the decaying monsters that plagued and destroyed the world, from an unwanted fate.

But Luna had the old world’s heart. When her mother begged to end her life, it almost took too long. Ravus was gone, devoured. Mother was the only one left. But the bite mark, exposed for her eyes to see, was a grave warning of what was to come.

It had been a long while since that day. Since she had fired a gun.

Nyx’s hand squeezed hers, still fighting for his right to live. And while she pretended the pistol didn’t exist, she raised his hand and brought the palm to her cheek. Cold, calloused, fingers have now found warmth. The shivering diminished a bit

“If only I listened.” she muttered.

Yes, if only she hadn’t left his side to venture alone despite his ill will. To the abandoned grocery store that was overrun by the undead. Nyx wouldn’t had to save her. That corpse wouldn’t had bitten his arm. He wouldn’t had to chop it off.

A tear flowed down as she leaned to kiss his forehead. “Don’t leave me alone.”

She we knew what alone was. They both did. But when the nobody cared, especially in this life, Nyx did. He really did, even though he never asked her company, even though she slowed him down in the journey. He gave her a larger share of scavenged food. He never missed covering her with his coat at night when she dozed off from watching the candlelight.

He always put her life over his like it was a sacred duty. Always.

And now, his life was in her hands.

Luna brought out a myriad of her herbs from the pack. Garlic, echinacea flowers and leaves of the collodial silver. She crushed the leaves and the flowers to make a paste, undressed the stump and applied her concoction on the wound.

“This should help with the infection.” she said as if he was conscious enough to hear her explanation

After re-wrapping the wound, she built a small, discreet flame and made a tea from the garlic cloves. She gently shook his shoulder to wake him and told him he needs to drink the tea. He only answered with a weak groan. She raised his head with one hand and poured a little into his parted lips. He gagged, as if a whole lot was poured and he was drowning. After a bit when he calmed, she tried again. The same thing happened.

“Just a little bit.” she begged.

But the tea was wasted, spilling from his lips and onto the floor..

By then, she knew it was no use for now. Maybe tomorrow he could drink it, if he could survive tonight. If actually chopping off the arm worked against the corpse’s virus. Only tomorrow could determine his fate.

The gun’s glint caught her attention again. His last instruction floated to surface.

_If I don’t make it, you know what to do._

His voice was so insistent that it made her teary-eyed. To remedy her sadness, he smiled at her.

_It’s okay… My life is nothing._

No. His life is everything.

The old world’s heart murmured against what he was asking, but despite that, she grabbed the gun and kept it in her hand while she let sleep take over.

.

.

.

 _Lunafreya! Do it! Shoot me!_  
  
I can’t!

_Do it! Before I turn into one of them!_

_No!_

_Shoot me!_

She gasped awake at the sound of the pieces breaking. Sounded like glass. Her arm raised straight towards the person in front of her. Finger on the trigger. The end of the barrel pointed at the spot between the eyes like second nature, aiming small like he told her to.

But she trembled at the thought of squeezing her finger. The bullet would go through flesh and bone so fast that there was no time for life to flash before the person’s eyes.

But no. It wasn’t her mother. It took a moment or two to realize that it was just a dream.

Nyx, with his pale face and attentive eyes looked at her in alarm. The wall supported his back. His only hand raised to surrender.

“Easy princess… It’s still me.” he cautioned, all tensed up but with a hoarse voice.

Luna spotted the mug where she had put the tea. The morning’s sunlight cast on its poor state, showing handle that seemed to have broken off from a fall and the contents that spilled. Then her eyes went back to him who was awake and still breathing, still alive.

Alive and not decaying. Alive and still with her.

She felt cold in her flesh, blood and bones. His life was in her hands and now she carried the power to end it without thinking. Afraid that her startled state would cause her to commit another sin, she immediately brought down the gun. She scolded her instincts, emptying the gun’s cylinder of its bullets, cursing that awful nightmare. And when the pistol was disposed of its power, she finally looked at him in penitence and in joy. A sob sounding sigh drew from her lips. Nyx seemed to have relaxed after that but before he could say anything again, she dove to him and embraced. He yelped on her abrupt contact.

“Careful.” he groaned. “Still fresh from getting the arm getting chopped off, remember?”

She laughed but quickly she fell into crying, her head sinking into his chest and his arm wrapping her around the shoulders. “Shh.. It’s okay.” he soothed. “I’m okay.” Indeed he was. The strong heartbeat spoke of it as well.

“I almost shot you.” Luna croaked.

He laughed weakly. “Could’ve been one less idiot walking around.”

His joke didn’t hit the funny bone. The blonde sat up and looked at him straight in the eye. His expression turned serious. “I’m sorry.” he said. And his palm touched her cheek, on the spot where she had placed it just last night. He remembered after all.

Her hand crept up to his as her sights landed on the stump. Her mistake. Her fault. He knew what she was thinking because he shook his head and wiped the remnant of her tears with a thumb.

“Forget about what happened.” he said to her.

She couldn’t. She would never. He lost an arm because of her. But she never spoke a word to refute what he told her to do. Instead, she relished the warmth of his hand on her cheek for a while - a rare instance of what people in past craved instead of safety. She counted the days and the hours and the moments when she had almost held his hand. Only when his life was slipping away did she ever dare to do it. A silly thought she can’t afford to have, but worth taking note of.

He let her go and she went back to matters at hand. He was still weak and, though the herbs did their thing, his fever wasn’t entirely gone. The tea was spilled due to him trying to drink it on his own, she assumed. She would make another one. She would take care of him until he’s strong enough to travel again.

Strangely, life moved on. There would be another tomorrow to count, another careful travel, but now it seemed that their days together were growing more treasured.

Day fifty eight had began and she would remember it as one of the better days.


End file.
